Improving cybersecurity visibility and state and local government agencies

A significant portion of state and local government technology officials in a new survey say they are under-equipped, under-staffed and under-resourced in addressing cybersecurity concerns.

Four in 10 state and local IT leaders say they lack the tools they need to identify and report cybersecurity vulnerabilities in their networks, according to a study conducted by CyberScoop and StateScoop, and underwritten by Tenable.

For 38 percent of respondents, this shortcoming is further exacerbated by the need for security intelligence tools that prioritize vulnerability risks. Combined, these technology gaps make it harder for security personnel to optimize their time and effectiveness. Nearly half of respondents (46 percent) said that access to more skilled and knowledgeable information security professionals would improve the ability to spot security vulnerabilities — more than any other potential enabler.